


Bruised and Battered

by krowe (k_rowe)



Series: Mission Report [1]
Category: Batman (Comics), Red Robin (Comics), Robin (Comics)
Genre: Developing Relationship, First Aid, M/M, Mild Blood, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-08
Updated: 2016-08-08
Packaged: 2018-08-07 11:50:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7713850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/k_rowe/pseuds/krowe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tim tries to impress Jason and gets hurt showing off.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bruised and Battered

**Author's Note:**

> Jaytimweek 2016 Day 5: Bruised and Battered

In that part of town fewer than half the streetlamps functioned anymore so the altercation between robbers and crime fighters happened in half-light. After being stood up by a drug buy they were both antsy. Team Red, as twitter was wont to call them, swept on the group with no small amount of noise. Still, they took out a man each before the crew even noticed. Jason smirked. _We weren’t even discreet. Dumbest. Criminals. Ever. Seven guys for_ this _dump? Their splits have to be miserable._

The neon sign above the liquor store, the only light around, flickered periodically. It was bad luck for the criminals that one gunman fired several errant shots at Tim— who was taunting the man with aerial acrobatics Jason appraised worthy of Dick— and the gunman hit the sign instead. It buzzed and guttered out. Jason’s helmet and Tim’s cowl converted over to full night vision automatically. In the sudden swallowing darkness Tim spun several feet off the ground and kicked the shooter in the face taking him to the ground. _Shit. The kid can jump._ Jason marveled at a clean disabling move that smoothly transitioned into a nerve strike that made the man crumple at Tim’s feet. But only for a moment, Tim was low and high and gutsy but steady, in the air and low.

A crack across Jason’s shoulders reminded him he was not a spectator and they tidied up the rest between them. The last man to go down was moaning into the concrete at the receiving end of Tim’s grapple. Tim straightened, massaging his jaw.

Jason knelt over one unconscious criminal and began with him to bind all their hands behind their backs in turns. The fourth one had the bag of cash on him. It was markedly heavy for a dingy corner liquor store. The man grunted in protest. The rest were resigned in silence. “Nice moves by the way, Red,” said Jason, thumbing a wad of large bills. _Suspicious._ Jason threw the bag over one shoulder.

_“Thmmmnks,”_ mumbled Tim, then looking up he said, _“’Atss evnnnnce.”_

“What’s wrong?” Jason rolled back on his heels to get a look at Tim. He squinted through the green filter but he could not make out what Tim was looking at. He saw Tim pull his fingers away from his mouth and stare at them uncomprehendingly. Jason trussed up the last thief and went to get a closer look. Tim’s fingers were covered in what must have been blood and in his palm rested a small, hard object. Behind the helmet Jason’s eyebrows lifted dramatically and for Tim’s sake he tried not to smile. Tim always seemed to know if he smiled.

“Is that— Red, tell me that’s not your tooth.”

Tim produced a grim and bloody smile. Jason was sure it was a tooth, but he would not have guessed except he’d seen it in Tim’s palm; the missing tooth was hardly noticeable because of all the blood streaming from his nose and mouth.

“Come on. Let’s get you home kiddo.” He threw an arm over Tim’s shoulder.

Tim nodded, pocketing his tooth in one of his capsules and followed Jason’s lead. _“Mmmm.”_

A stranger’s voice emerged from the darkness, one of the thieves. “You _live_ together? Like fags?”

Jason kicked the man. Not _very_ hard. “Before we go, mind telling me how you scum luck out and hit a gold mine like this?”

“Fuck off.”

“I’d save your mouth for your lawyer. You’ve got a lot of explaining to do.”

_“Ee seeehd ‘atss evnnnnce.”_

“What? Oh. _‘Evidence.’_ I want you to take a closer look first. I’ve got some questions about this money. Jesus. You’re a mess. Let’s go, Lover.”

“Fags,” grunted the man. He sounded to Tim as though his nose might be bleeding but Tim hardly cared to spare the man another glance.

Jason ignored the bait too. Tim fired the grappling gun and, with one arm around Jason, and Jason having one arm around Tim and the other holding onto the evidence, they were out of sight when the police showed up moments later. The shop owner bowled out of his store and complained loudly to the officers that those good-for-nothing criminals took everything he had. From several stories up now, Tim and Jason paused to listen.

“What do you mean? Did one of them get away with your money?”

“One of those _capes_ took it!”

“Well good luck then.”

“You have to do something! They’re thieves!”

Tim gave Jason a reproving look. Jason shook his head. “If I’m wrong I’ll bring it back. I swear. Don’t look at me like that.” Blood continued to trickle from Tim’s nose and mouth on their way back to the theatre. Jason said, “I told you to pinch the bridge of your nose.”

_“Cnntt.”_ Tim tapped his cowl, which was of course much too rigid to allow him that traditional remedy. It was only a fluke the thug had struck Tim from below the nose guard.

“What about some coagulant? Don’t you keep any in your belt?” Tim nodded and stopped. From one of the back pouches he produced a micro field emergency kit. Included was: a tiny needle and surgical thread, antiseptic, gauze and a preloaded swab of coagulant. Tim removed the swab and gauze and pocketed the rest. Jason took the coagulant saying, “Here let me. Sit down. Light is terrible up here.” They were up on the roof of a housing complex. Tim backed up to sit on ledge of the roof. Jason stood over him leaning in. He lifted Tim’s chin gently in his hands and tilted Tim’s jaw this way and that until he could see in the dim ambient light. He parted Tim’s lips tenderly and tilted his head back a little more. A faint blush warmed Tim’s cheeks that Tim could not explain.

“Shit.”

_“Wuh!?”_

Jason squinted and looked again, turning Tim’s face side to side in his cradling hands. He closed his eyes and shook his head. Then, apologetically, said, “shit. You’re missing two of them.” Tim whimpered softly. “Don’t be a baby. I’m sure B’s got some fancy implants for you. Hold still.” Jason daubed the swab on gums where shortly before Tim’s pretty, left central and lateral incisors lived. “How did one of those mooks manage to get you in the face like this anyway?”

Tim blushed more deeply and tried to wiggle free. “Stop. Your nose is still bleeding.” Jason held Tim’s face more firmly and carefully applied the coagulant to Tim’s left and right nostrils. If when he was done they both held position, inexplicably reluctant to move, just _looking_ at each other they didn’t talk about it after. A domestic yelling match disbanded the moment. Experimentally Tim blotted his blood with the gauze pad after a few moments. It appeared no fresh blood was flowing anymore. He tried smiling appreciatively but Jason only barked at Tim’s mangled mouth. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Let me see. Yeah, you’re going to be fine. Let’s get you showered and doped. Your mouth is going to hurt like hell.”

_“’Mmm tffff.”_

“Yes yes. You’re very tough. Get up.”

**Author's Note:**

> Didn't think I was going to post anything for that prompt. But I had this concept kicking around already so I touched it up super last minute (ie. late).


End file.
